Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Zottegem Cost of Living Comparison Between Brussels and Zottegem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,607 in Brussels versus $2,188 in Zottegem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,010 in Brussels versus $3,198 in Zottegem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,413 in Brussels versus $4,207 in Zottegem.

Living in Brussels is roughly 19% more expensive than in Zottegem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brussels 90% above, Zottegem 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.29 €19.93

$24.85 €21.26

-6.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.0 €79.6

$75.9 €64.9

22.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.51 €12.41

$12.89 €11.02

12.57%

Cappuccino

$4.55 €3.90

$4.15 €3.55

9.64%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.07

$2.56 €2.19

39.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 €2.81

$3.05 €2.61

7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.97 €5.96

$5.06 €4.33

37.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 €4.88

$4.89 €4.19

16.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 €1.24

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 €2.57

$1.46 €1.25

106.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.49

$2.24 €1.91

30.36%

Eggs

$5.30 €4.53

$4.60 €3.94

15.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.18 €14.70

$16.29 €13.93

5.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.19 €11.28

$12.61 €10.78

4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.10 €19.76

$20.56 €17.59

12.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 €2.83

$2.84 €2.43

16.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 €2.31

$2.39 €2.05

12.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 €2.45

$2.70 €2.31

5.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 €3.60

$2.98 €2.55

41.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.35

$1.84 €1.57

49.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 €1.99

$1.95 €1.67

19.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 €1.60

$1.59 €1.36

17.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.05

$1.18 €1.01

4.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.06 €12.03

$13.48 €11.53

4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 €8.90

$8.77 €7.50

18.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 €2.34

$2.09 €1.79

30.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.83

$2.15 €1.84

53.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 €2.51

$3.20 €2.73

-8.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 €54.1

$64.9 €55.5

-2.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 €2.51

$5.89 €5.03

-50.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 €1.83

$2.76 €2.36

-22.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.28 €35.31

$37.88 €32.40

8.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.84

$1.97 €1.69

9.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.5K €31.2K

$37.1K €31.8K

-1.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.4K €29.5K

$37.6K €32.1K

-8.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$261 €223

$212 €181

22.94%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.28 €19.06

$22.71 €19.42

-1.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 €48.29

$52.9 €45.23

6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.55 €32.12

$37.60 €32.16

-0.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.01 €25.67

$20.43 €17.48

46.89%

Cinema Ticket

$16.41 €14.04

$15.49 €13.25

5.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,698 €1,453

$695 €595

144.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.8K €33.2K

$20.4K €17.4K

90.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €91.4

$107 €91.7

-0.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.59 €37.29

$45.58 €38.99

-4.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 €95.2

$106 €91.1

4.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €129

$150 €128

0.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 €1,202

$947 €810

48.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 €1,022

$829 €709

44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,689 €2,300

$1,417 €1,212

89.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 €1,805

$1,192 €1,020

77.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 €4,522

$4,223 €3,612

25.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,057 €3,471

$3,000 €2,567

35.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,337 €2,855

$2,288 €1,957

45.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

3.46

5.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brussels: August 16, 2026

Last update for Zottegem: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,406 in Brussels and $947 in Zottegem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brussels pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $93.0 in Brussels vs $76.0 in Zottegem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $347 per month, with Zottegem cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Brussels vs Zottegem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zottegem wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Brussels. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zottegem the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Brussels, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,406 in Brussels versus $947 in Zottegem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Brussels. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Zottegem – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $93.0 in Brussels. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,188 in Zottegem versus $2,607 in Brussels, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Zottegem but tight or insufficient in Brussels. The gap between the two cities makes Zottegem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brussels and Zottegem are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zottegem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Brussels. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.